Shipping of large earthmoving vehicles is often difficult, owing to the heavy weight of the vehicle which necessitates considerable apparatus to prevent the vehicle from moving relative to its carrier. Most large size equipment is carried on flatcars and heretofore a large number of chains have been utilized to tie the vehicle securely to the flatcar. This arrangement has proven relatively unsatisfactory for several reasons. Often the chains and snubbing equipment are never returned to the sender and represent a considerable waste of equipment. The chains sometimes become loose or are loosened by vandals which can result in damage to the vehicle, the flatcar, or both. Also, a considerable waste in time and labor is realized in loading and unloading operations.
This invention solves these problems by providing securing apparatus which facilitates crane loading of the vehicle on the flatcar, tie down with a greatly reduced number of elements, and is an apparatus which has portions that are pivotally movable for unloading the vehicle from the flatcar.